One year later

Standing on the cabin's porch leaning against a thick pole, holding up the nearly erected awning, Cherry watched the crowded clearing; tents were pitched everywhere, some in a line, some in groups along the tree line. She had never seen so many people. Campfires littered the grounds between the tents, the strains of someone playing the guitar and .... was that the flute? Add singing to the mix, and the pure energy wafting toward her held her spellbound. Children ran around playing as the sky moved from sunset to night, the stars greeted the earth with a beautiful twinkle as those below began pointing them out and laying in the grass watching the night appear in all its glory, and Cherry found herself smiling.

"Hey," Sam called the greeting, joining Cherry at the railing, "how are you holding up?"

"Holding up?" Cherry frowned, "what about?"

"Well, your cousin is putting together this ..." Sam waved toward the field, "dare I call it a get-together? You were told to leave all the organising to her, and in the past year, I have not seen you take your hand off the rudder once."

Cherry chuckled, "Usually, I would be having a problem with it, but Neve has done an amazing job pulling it together. Honestly, I was happy to hand this over to her. It's an event that has been a part of her family heritage for centuries, and ... well ... she needed something to help ground her in all the "newness" of her life, between the new sanctuaries we're establishing all over the world and the extensions to the guardian cabin and Dad wanting to make changes in our warrior brethren along with ... " she paused, glancing at Sam, "why am I ticking this off like a list?"

Sam grinned, "You cannot let go of the rudder," she hugged Cherry's shoulders, "... you've done well this past year, my friend."

"A year ..." Cherry said, shaking her head, "... time has flown by. Do you know I found Mom in tears this morning," Cherry glanced at Sam's questioning frown, "apparently this celebration has her emotional due to some memory of the last one... it was before she met Dad. Since then, she doesn't remember a time we had a celebration without tension and loads of security, nothing like this where everyone is relaxed, happy and truly celebrating," Cherry sighed, looking around, narrowing her eyes in suspicion, "where are my sister and Aunt?"

"Something about coordinating the eats and a new sanctuary, and before you ask, your Dad is obsessing about the security ... he seems to be having a hard time realising he can relax," Sam said, shaking her head, "oh yes, there is Steve ..." she pointed toward the young man pulling up in his pickup with Silas and Tyron beside him, "he may have something to tell you, and by the look of it, it's not going to wait."

Sam chuckled as Steve barely waited for the truck engine to shut off before bolting from the driver's seat and racing toward them. Stepping out of the way, Sam shook her head and saluted Cherry before leaving the porch to greet Silas and Tyron.

"Cherry," Steve called, "you'll never believe my awesome news."

Cherry grinned as she was enveloped in a bear hug and swung in a circle with her feet in the air, "Is that any way to treat the Queen?" she giggled as her feet met the ground again.

"My Queen," Steve showed a leg as he gave an old-fashioned bow, "you are looking at the newest graduate from the School of Gardiáns do Pobo."

"You graduated," Cherry gasped, "Steve, that is amazing."

"Yeah, he passed his exams with flying colours," Tyron said, grinning as he came up the stairs, glancing over his shoulder at Sam and Silas slowly coming toward the cabin deep in conversation, "Dad is really proud of him, and now there are two assistants not just one, I'm happy cause my workload is cut in half and I'm super proud of my boy who has embraced our family heritage."

Cherry stared at Tyron in surprise, shaking her head, "Wow, that is the most I've heard you say in one go, and I've known you for over a year."

"He's just so excited to have us all in the family business now," Silas said, coming slowly up the stairs and hugging Cherry, "so good to see you again and to have this event ..." he looked out over the clearing, "... oh my ..." he inhaled releasing an emotional breath before swallowing hard, "it's good to see this again. What are we celebrating?"

"A year of freedom and family," Neve said, stepping onto the porch carrying a heavy-looking cooler box; Tyron quickly took it from her, "Thank you ..." she smiled at everyone, "We all have so much to celebrate, and I decided .... with the permission of my cousin and Queen of our people ... to use this day for the gathering of our brethren ... in other words, it's a fancy way to say we celebrate our family gathering ... not just from the mountain but from everywhere in the world."

"That is wonderful," Tyron said, "what do you have in here?"

"Marshmallows," Neve said, smiling, "we can't have a bonfire without marshmallows."

"Marshmallows," Tyron said, frowning, "how many do you have in here?"

"Thousands," Neve said, "why?"

"How many people do you expect?" Silas asked.

"Oh, we have the six hundred and ninety-two I've been able to confirm," Neve said, ticking it off on her fingers, "then there is the outstanding seven hundred and twenty-five who may be coming but are unsure, and the no's have turned into yes's so ..." she did a quick calculation, "over two thousand people..." a gasp rose from those around them, "that is why the celebration is running for a week. Follow me," she said to Tyron before leaving the porch and heading for the bonfire.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"She has really stepped into the role her mother left open," Rilea said, joining Cherry and Steve, "nice for you to join us, Steve."

Nodding in greeting, his eyes moved past her toward the cabin doorway, "I think Tenzin is looking for Neve."

Cherry cleared her throat, catching his attention; silently, she pointed toward the bonfire. Smiling, he nodded, carrying another large, heavy-looking cooler box toward the gathering excitement around the fire.

"So many of these people never knew their roots," Cherry whispered, watching her people ... her brethren chatting, laughing, playing instruments and watching the stars above, "it is so good to hear them being light-hearted, so good to see them at ease. Yeah, talking about family, where is my twin?"

"She is busy with the new location," Rilea said, glancing around and sighing with relief when Neve was spotted walking around the fire talking to the new arrivals, "she says ... she will have my head if I tell you."

"She cannot take your head without my permission," Cherry said, "let me see what I can do to get her out here for some R and R."

Moving into the cabin Cherry followed the sound of her sister's voice, finding her in one of the rooms off the main living area. Standing at the door, she heard her sister asking about supplies and numbers, who needed medical supplies, if there were enough clothing packs, and when they were expected. Clearing her throat, Cherry waited; her sister stilled and turned slowly to the door, sighing in relief when she saw who was there.

"What are you doing that makes you jump?" Cherry asked, moving forward and waving a greeting to the brethren member on the screen halfway around the world.

"Checking Neve's numbers," Sherry whispered, "I just didn't want anyone to go without anything."

"Sherry, it's sweet that you care so much," Cherry said, taking her sister's hands in hers as she crouched before her, "but you need to let Neve do what she is meant to, and you need to fulfil your purpose."

"Our Queen is correct," the man on the screen said, "you should be visually cataloguing this evening, not doing someone else's job."

Sighing, Sherry nodded, "Fine," she took a picture of the list and sent it across the world, "I've sent you the list in the chat, please make sure you have those numbers, and if not ..." she glanced at her sister, "... get hold of Neve."

"Will do," the man grinned, "have a good evening and don't worry about this new station. We have done this a few times in the last year, and it'll be as good as it has always been."

"Thank you for your service to the brethren," Cherry said, smiling at the screen, "I do appreciate it."

"It's not just the brethren," the man said, "it's lost family who needs to know they are not alone."

"True," Sherry said, "now I had better go and catalogue the events of the evening."

"Yes ..." Cherry said, shutting the laptop lid and putting her arm around her sister's waist, "... tell me why Stan and Jeff are here."

"They are Carl's friends and outside members of the family," Sherry said, "plus Stan saved our people at much cost to himself ... and there is the blood bonding thing as well."

"Ah ...." Cherry nodded, "I remember that being logged in the infirmary logs," she nudged her sister with her hip, "basically you're telling me it's all about family," Cherry said as the sisters left the cabin, "it got nothing to do with Sam at all."

"Weeeel," Sherry squirmed a little," perhaps a little ..." she sighed, "look at them ... kindred spirits without knowing it, and he ... grounds her."

"He does," Cherry said, smiling as she watched the pair chatting and laughing, "it's good to see her with someone who knows the real her."

"Just like Steve knows the real you," Sherry said, glancing slyly at her sister, "I've noticed how he never is far from you and rarely takes his eyes off you."

"He has a job to do," Cherry said, hedging, "he needs to ensure our people are guarded and therefore ... me."

"Right, is that why you grin every time you're around him or speak about him," Sherry asked, watching Cherry blush, "plus you giggle ... you never giggle ... admit it, you two are good together."

"Come to one; Neve is calling us," Cherry said, smiling broadly, "let's go toast marshmallows."

"You know I'm right," Sherry said, following her sister off the porch toward the fire.

"I'm not admitting anything," Cherry laughed, "now can we get on with the celebration?"

"I'm letting this go for now," Sherry said, chuckling, "but we will return to this topic."

Above on the newly erected awning, he watched the proceedings. It was strange for him to do; there was no threat, no worry, nothing that required his attention. The change had been difficult for him after decades of being constantly alert. Smiling as his daughters walked toward the fire, bantering between themselves, joy unfurled at the freedom their people had. It was a new but frequent emotion in the last few months.

"Garan, why are you on guard?" Rilea asked, pulling herself up onto the awning.

"I'm not," Garan smiled, "after so many years of being apart, even when among them, I don't know how to drop the feeling of having to watch every shadow. Sitting up here helps me take it all in... I can see all the beauty this perch affords," he said, watching his wife join him, "hmmm .... do you remember sitting on the roof when our girls were young, and we watched them play in the clearing."

"I do," Rilea said, linking her hand through his arm, "that was so long ago. After all this time, our people will be prosperous and free."

"Yes, they are," Garan smiled, kissing the top of her head, "Our daughters are free, and your sister ..." he pointed toward the bonfire chuckling, "... is doing her best to finish as many marshmallows as possible."

"She will feel that tomorrow," Rilea said, smiling and shaking her head.

"Think about it, on top of all these blessings," Garan whispered, "we have lost family coming home, family members reuniting, sanctuaries around the world open their doors to any of the brethren lineages," he shook his head in wonder, "our family is so much bigger than we ever knew ... I have to admit, life is good."

"Life is perfect, Garan ... let us enjoy this moment ... it feels good to see everyone like this ... it feels right to be..."

"Be what love?" Garan asked.

"To be the way we are. We are designed and now destined to survive," Rilea said.

"Yes ..." Garan nodded, "... yes it does."

Together they silently watched their family below enjoying the summer night, learning new and beautiful things but, most of all, finding they have love, light and an extensive family ... all of which are designed to survive.